The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-20
SHE DIED A BEGGAR.
Yet in Her Room They Found $1,000 in
Money and Bonds-Rags and Filth.

CT IN her Room Iney round $1,000 In
Money and Bonds-Rags and Filth.
A dispatch from Boston to the New York
World says: From beggarly little room at
the rear of No. II Albany street Mrs. Mary
Smith was removed to the City Hospital,
Saturday night, where she died before
morning. She was rs years old and with
out doubt the most raggedly dressed woman
in Boston. Her apartment was miserably
filthy, and her clothes were little better than
old rags, kept together by strings.
Mrs. Smith was a professional beggar,
and it was while limping about ON her daily
round in search of charity, Saturday after
noon, that she was knocked down and run
over by a careless butcher boy at the corner
of Howard and Hudson streets. Somebody
removed her to her home and notified the
police and had her taken to the City Hos
pital She was not badly hurt, but her ad-
vanced years and enfeebled condition, re-
sulting from long years of privation, could
not withstand the shock. Before she died
she said something about her money, and
asked that Lawyer Charles Colbeth be no
titled. The hospital attendants believed
that the poor creature was wandering in
her mind. This morning, however, word
was sent to the lawyer, when they were sur
prised to hear that the old woman had made
a will and was worth several thousand dol
lars.
The police were notified and an officer de-
tailed to search the miserly lodgings Open
ing the door of the old woman's room, a
foul odor greeted him and dozen rats dis
appeared leisurely into their holes. The of
flcer began his search by ripping open the
first of two old mattresses, when to his sur
prise, several handouts of gold and silver
coins ratified down on the floor. The saw
dust, chips. and husks with which the mat
tress was stuffed, were poured out into q
pile beside the bed. Scattered among this
chaff was hatful of bank notes. Officer
Franks poked over the pile and saw
ed up into wads and tied with
greasy strings. He cut these with
his knife, and counting the wealth. found
$500. On the wall over the bed hung an old
petticoat. Mechanically thrusting his hand
into the pocket he drew out hard rag.
Opening this, $40 in bills lay in his hand
On a peg near by was another petticoat.
AS the officer grasped it to replace it on the
hook, he felt a hard bunch of something in
side the lining. Cutting the threads with
his knife, little bag dropped out, and Sc
in silver coins rolled off on the floor Inside
the door another dirty article of apparel
hung. 1t was searched and inside the lining
was found secreted a large pocketbook.
Sewed into this were bills of various de-
nominations amounting to SO
On the floor lay mattress black with
filth, and rolled up and tied with piece of
clothesline. Inside this, and wrapped care
fully in dozen newspapers, was package
of United States Government bonds of the
issue of 1887 bearing 4 per cent. interest
and amounting in value to 5000. Down in a
corner of the bag were two bank books of
the Franklin Savings Bank, each showing
a deposit Of $1,000. Continuing the search,
black dress was found, and in various parts
of the lining were found, sewed separately,
SIS in bills and silver. In bureau was
found $3.50 in gold. The entire amount of
money and bonds amounted to between
$1,000 and $1,000 which was turned over to
the police authorities.